In our previous post, we explored how 3D printing technology can potentially help the artistic world to evolve, and how this new technology can be merged with old-school mediums; bringing precision and style to each form. In this post, we will explore some of the creative and artistic designs that are being crafted using 3D printing technology.

Ji Lee’s Mysterabbits

Designer Ji Lee’s project “Mysterabbit”, saw the construction of over 10,000 miniature, meditating bunny rabbit statues that were placed in a variety of places around the world. The “Mysterabbits” were created using a special blueprint, that anyone can use to print off their own miniature statues.

Monika Horčicová skeletal structures

Monika Horčicová, a Czech artist, creates wonderfully-spooky 3D printed structures, that are crafted to look like bones. Her fun and playful structures are pieced together in creative ways; with some structures appearing in circular form, and others towering structures that resemble mythical creatures.

LIX 3D printing pen

In one of our previous blog posts, we noted that 3D printing could potentially move from larger manufacturers, to the smaller scale, enabling people to design and develop their own creations using the technology. The LIX 3D Printing Pen is one great example of the transition of the field from the large-scale, to the small-scale. The pen, created by the design company Lix, allows artists to design and create their own 3D-printed doodles and sketches, that can be used to develop larger sculptures. We love that the design is small and portable, just like an inkpen!

3D printing technology can also work with different mediums, enhancing and working with older methods and materials, and recreating one-dimensional artistic forms in the three dimensional.

Photographer Sandra Canning recreated her beautiful photography, in the form of 3D-printed lithophane sculptures. “I collaborated with a team of innovative engineers to 3D print models I made of my photographs” she says “This type of 2D to 3D conversion is often referred to as “3D printed lithophanes”. Lithophanes were popular in the 1800’s and have been revived by the 3D printing community. A lithophane is a picture that has been etched into a translucent material, but the image is only revealed when back-lit. The software that generates the 3D model or height map calculates based on the gray scale values of the image. Darker areas are thicker in height and lighter areas are thinner to allow more light to pass through. My 3D printing adventures have increased my creative vocabulary and inspired me to venture into 3D scanning and jewelry making”.

The quirky and transformative world of 3D-printed art

3D printing technology presents to us some of the most innovative and creative designs in the artistic world. The medium allows artists to recreate new structures and wondrous designs that are not possible with older approaches.